During WWII the Greek isle of Crete was occupied by the Germans already in 1941. As a result of the local population who resisted with determination, the three main towns Chania, Rethmynon and Herakleion, were badly bombed. In June 1944 Cretan Jews were arrested, sent to Herakleion, put on the ship Tanais, together with some 600 Greek and Italian prisoners. Shortly after the ship left the port Herakleion, the ship sunk and all the human cargo perished.

The only Jewish remain in Chania is the Ets Hayim (tree of life) Synagogue that has been restored with much care.

A tree of life handmade tapestry inside the synagogue

The following list includes the names of the 264 Jewish victims, most of them from Chania. Their given names are often double because the second name (or initial) is the father?s name.